Caravan/Town & Country Electrical Problems

Comments

disconnect the battery for 5 min and reconnect it &#150; this will reset the BCM and lights may work.

check wirling near back hatch door.

try banging near the instrument cluster when the flashing is going on and see it it changes. There are known problems with instrument clusters due to bad/cracked solder connections in the instrument cluster panel - search Youtube and web on this. Good luck

I just bought a 99 town and county with only 100,000 miles on it had it a month an did not drive it for about 5 days and went to start it and the battery was dead so had it charged up putt in and everything lights up on dash but when I turn key I does not make a sound . It's almost like it was not in park or something . I did notice that the little box that is around each letter as far as p for park or d for drive was not around pthe p but the car was in park . Has anyone had a similar problem . Thanks ....

I have that happen with my 2002 T&C. It only happens once in a while. So far I haven't figured it out, except to remember that when it happens to shift into neutral to start it. It has worked everytime so far.My guess is that this is one of the few non-electrical problems I have had. It is probably mechanical, a proximity sensor on the linkage or in the tranny out of adjuistment.Good luck

could be a bad or stuck starter relay - when you locate it, try tapping it continously while someone turns the key. If it does start replace the relay. best to trouble shoot these with a ohm meter if you can.

i just bought a 2005 T&C touring a couple of months ago and this just started happening today to my girlfriend. The dash went out including the gauges, the trip computer was out, the remote doors would not open, the back hatch would not even open manually, and it started when she went to get out of the van and the radio would not shut off. Once I got home the key buttons did nothing, I started it and everything went back to normal... Seems like too many of these problems happen for as much as they charge for these things...

l had similar issues with an 02 T&C. The dealer had it for almost 3 months trying to figure it out. Don't let them replace the computer - 700 bucks and it wasn't the problem. They finally figured it out. Some sort of power module inside the engine compartment that relays lots of disparate systems. My receipt doesn't have the exact name of the parts, but I suggest you speak to David Todd at Chrysler Mall of Georgia (Buford, GA). Explain the problem and tell them to recall the T&C they had for several months. They'll remember - in fact my wife brought them Holiday snacks last week to thank them for their persistence and finally solving the problem. Remember - the villians in all of this are the designers at Chrysler, not the service guys! Good luck. Alan

One other thing is the e-brake light on the dash, when ever I make a left turn it comes on and i hear the alarm. My Dodge Neon does the same thing. My T&C and my Neon are both 2005's, Has anyone else heard of this?

You may want to check the neutral safety switch in the transmission. I think it is call something like Range selector switch. I had a similar problem where there were square boxes around all the gears whenever I had a no start problem. You have to drop the tranny pan and valve body to change it. The part is not expensive but its a pain the replace.

My town and country broke down and it seemed like the alternator. We replaced the battery and alternator. Three weeks later..again with my three young children, the battery light came on..then all lights started coming on..radio going off and on..it looked posessed! We replaced the computer and it's not fixed!! Does this sound like it could be the same thing. I live in birmingham but may have to call your mechanic!

I have 2001 caravan, no alarm on it. The remote starter system quit working about a month ago., We have been starting with the key every morning. This morning the van started as normal, but the head and turn lights are flashing back and forth like there is an alarm going off. (no sound) I pushed all the buttons on the remote starter thinking maybe we push it by chance. The relays under the hood are clicking too. I pulled the two relay that were clicking, but the lights are still flashing?? Any help? Thanks Bill

I have a problem and all of this stopped working at once...my turn signals don't work, my electrical seats don't work, my heater or air don't work, and my door locks don't work.....i checked all fuses and relays and they are good.....It's very strange because all my other electrical component's work...like the head light's, wipers, etc....and all these thing stopped at once. If there is anyone out there who have experienced this problem...please can you tell me what fixed it.

I have an 2002 town and country and some times it will start and then shut off. All I have to do is tilt the steering wheel either all the way up or down and have no problem starting. It might be okay for a few days and then it will do it again. Dealer thinks it's in the security module. Cost $80.00 to run test on computer.

Chrysler is not the only one with the problem many of the VATS type security systems from the past are having issues. There are bypass solutions for most systems. Also sometimes it helps to clean the chip on the side of the key and the ignition with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip. I have also heard that carring a big bunch of keys on a key ring can confuse the chip in the ignition key.

Mar 24, 2012 (4:59 pm) when i bought my 1996 dodge caravan we found that the check engine light did not work. codes could still be read, and since i have purchased the van a few years ago i have replaced 6 or 7 codes along with a new fuel pump and of course routine stuff.

finally had all the codes gone and thought i was good to go for my inspection.but faile because they want the light to come on when they turn the key. the mechanic sudjested a new bulb so i you tubed how to do this and replaced all the bulbs while i had it appart.

it still did not work, so we purchased a used part and replaced the symbol panel. guess what still does not work.

the symbol panel is on the top of the dash, while below that is my gauges for speed and gas.i assume that they are not connected, is this correct?

the reason why i am asking is because my dash board light does not work. the gauges all work fine but the light at night does not come on.could this be linked??

do i need to remove the steering wheel to remove the dash and replace the light bulb for the dashboard light?

i also have a blue wire that hangs above the pedals, i assume a radio wire or something?

does anyone have any sudgestions on what i should look for now and where to look for it, i have two weeks left and a small purse to get this car ready for its inspection. any help would be great!!

not sure why you lost dash ligts at night - check the dimmer switch rotate knob or wheel to full - may be turned all the way down to no lights. was thinking - you could jumper the check engine light to the oil light - just to see if it lights - then check engine light would light and go OFF then you start the engine - probably the same as it should work during an inspection - if you know what I mean. ;o) -

Two weeks ago while we were driving out T&C, the horn started honking, the lights started flashing, and the wipers started with the windshiled washing fluid squirting. We pulled over, turned it off, and restarted. Everything was fine until last night. About 10 minutes after we parked and shut the car off, --while the car was OFF, the horn started started beeping, the back hatch lifted, the lights flashed, the wipers --front and back--were going, and the washer fluid was squirting. The doors had locked themselves. We tried to start the car, and it made odd noises that went away when we gave it some gas. We shut the car off, and everything was back to normal...for about five minutes. Everthing started going off again, except the back hatch didn't open. This time, the key fob would not unlock the door. We used the spare fob to get it unlocked, restarted, and back to quiet. Today, it is at the garage. They said they never heard of this happening. Anyone have any ideas?????

sounds like a problem with the security system - many times a sliding door needs to be adjusted so switch in the door works properly - check alignment and closing of the doors and switches in the door/s

i had trouble finding this sight again to see if i had anymore replys, finally came back acrossed it thankfully.

my husband and i were thinking the same thing about toggling the wire from oil lamp over to check engine being how oil lamp works and they are side by side. my husband is very good with electrical stuff...but on laptops and what not he can take them appart and rebuild them...but a car is different before he adventures to do this do you have any sudjestions on how we should do it?

@ rpual3 which fuse would i check for the check engine light? do all the lights on symbol cluster operate off the same fuse? the other lights are working so should i even bother with this?

is there a relay for the check engine light?

i went to the part store yesturday to see if they had any sudgestions on what i could try, to no surprise they did not have any ideas. i had them read my codes and discovered i have a damn code "target idle not reached" what the hell i thought i had all the codes gone. i just replaced some idle sensor (i think egr valve or something) a few weeks ago and had to have them adjust my idle a few times, they get it just right and poof a day or two later and it is back to a roough sounding idle...any idears on what could cause this? any hoses i should replace? how about the air filter probally could use one of those i am sure but would a clogged one cause a "target idle not reached " code to come up?

i tried what you said and connected the oil light and check engine light together and guess what the appearence of them working looked great but it still failed. no codes came up..only because i did repairs after repairs until all codes were gone.

the mechanic who did the inspection said that the obd failed but no coeds where found.

does the mil have a separate wire that connects to the obd? anyone have an idea on what color it is? where do i find the ground wire for the check engine light, what color is it?

i have two fuse boxes one under the dash and one under the hood, the one under the dash says what all the fuses are for but the one under the hood does not indicate what each fuse is for i see that a few relays are missing but was told that could be for power windows and cruise control which i do not have.

my obd reads codes... fixed them all so i know that it works, but the mil does not read it does not even come on when i first turn the key . my obd failed inspection today, he could not tell me why he said the good thing is i do not have any codes... little does he know i just spent over 600 in sensor repairs in the past 3-4 months to clear all codes.

we did the usual repairs..... replaced bulb and cluster and still no light.

Regarding your dashboard lights, if your van is the same as my parent's 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, then there is a dimmer switch that is the same switch for the interior lighting. If it is turned to the left, the interior lights go out and the dash dims. If you spin it 3/4 to the right, the dash gets brighter, and all the way turns on your interior lights. It is located at the bottom left side of the steering wheel.